Can you live your childhood dream as a grownup?

[RefaelBA]

I've always wanted to make games.
Since I was a kid I messed around with editors, programming, mapping, modding and whatnot. Over ten years of "messing around", making small games and having a blast, got me some kickass skills in level design, audio, video and even directing, creating scenes, writing stories and other things. And I do these things rather well IMO.

The thing is...
After all this time, the gaming industry looks so different to me than it did back when I was a kid. Getting into the industry could be very unrewarding these days, and I'm just not so sure I should do it.
I still have some kickass breakthrough ideas for games, and I believe that with some effort I can even create them with a small team. But then there's today's extremely heavy required budgets, bureaucracy, public relations, marketing... and the most crucial element of all: LUCK.
There have been so many awsome games that, due to nothing but bad luck, never took off. Like Sacrifice. After putting everything you have into it, ONE unlucky game is enough to take you down for good. Other than that makign games is a brutal business, you have fight piracy and your product has a short lifespan. It's very hard to succeed unless you're a giant powerhouse like Activision.

What do you guys think?
There are two things I'd like to discuss here:

1. What is your practical view on the dreams you had as a kid, and will you still go for it?
2. What is your personal opinion about my case?

Let's hear you voice.

[Terr]

Well, I doubt I'll be an Astronaut at this point, but my interest waned when I found out how seldom they're actually up there. (Of course, now we have the ISS, but still...)

As with most industries and even inventions, ideas are easy, but practical implementation is hard.

[Overchek]

Let's hear you voice.

[Pwnd_Ja]

IMO, you should always try to achieve your dreams, even if it means failing horrendously. Get a decent idea, write a storyline, and get a small team of people, and go for it! After you have a team of skilled people that are reliable, have everyone pitch in to get a Source License (Or whatever the fuck you wanna do). To my understanding, it costs quite a bit of money, so have everyone split the bill. But of course, not every game will succeed to the extent of the Half Life series or the Halo series, but success is relative; If you get a fan base of 500 people, in your mind, it could be a success! But before you go off spending money here and there, you really need to analyze some things:
1. What makes a game successful?
2. Why do people play games?
3. Are you really up to the challenge of creating something truly unique and beautiful in it's own way?
Now, after you research those and come up with your own theory of what makes a game successful, apply it to your idea; Why would people want to play your game? What would make your game stand out? In order to achieve your dream, you are going to need to put a lot of effort into understanding these concepts. Once you get a solid design document, go over it with your team before you spend any money at all. Have some of your friends read the basic storyline and get the feel of how the game will be played out. And sometimes, to reach your dreams, you just need to take a dive.

But what do I know? I'm just a lowly 18 year old with nothing but theory behind what I just typed out to you. In my opinion, no one is a true success unless they are fulfilling their dreams.

[Spas12]

Well I'm first going to say that you're wrong about a game design job being unrewardiing, because you are not only rewarded with money, but many game-related perks, fun company activities, and the joy of your work being released to and played by thousands of people. As long as what you are doing is what you love, it really is a rewarding job.

My dream as a kid was a lot more practical: something in the architecture or engineering field. Of course my love for video games and designing things fused together when i first got my hands on the source sdk. I guess that formed my ultimate dream of being a video game designer.

The game industry is a tough business, you have to do a lot of things right to run successfully and make a profit. But this is incorporated into 99% of businesses, a game design company is still a company. I think you are mostly right. I think you just have to land a job at the right company and move your way up, that is even if you want to.

[Armageddon]

I wanted to make games as a kid. And I still do. But when I was a kid the games seemed more... Original. Today it's just so hard to have an original idea. And if you do have one. And try to present it to a company they'll say "That's not realistic. We want the best looking games in the history of gaming." But the thing is, there have been so many game where there is just, guns, good looking eviroments, and no originality. When I was a kid the games were amazing. You didn't need alot of money to make a game and sell it. But today the gaming industry is so big, that if you make an awesome game no one will notice you. It will just become a porfolio piece for you. My advice to is, Don't join a copany if you you feel it's not right, make a small team and produce a good game and get your name out there.

[Pwnd_Ja]

I think spas and Armageddon nailed it on the tits.

[RefaelBA]

Hey Pwnd-ja, that was a very moving post. Thanks. I might end up finishing my academic course and heading for canada or the US for a chance in the gaming industry.

And people, I do agree that you need to "go for it", but assembling a team of developers is no easy task. Especially if you want them to pay money (for an engine) instead of make money. That's just impossible. Most professionals will not work for free even if there's the chance they'll hit the jackpot later on. Unless we're all start-up partners, it just won't happen.
So practically that's very hard.

The more practical way is to nail a nice job in a good studio and climb the ladder. I'm a creative guy and I'm sure I can do that. Perhaps with enough determination and hard work, I'll advance to a level of actually thinking up games, and that'll be my time to shine. This thread is an inspiration.

I still want to hear more about other people's dreams. Terr said that his dream was tarnished because he realized being an astronaut in reality isn't what he had in mind. That's exactly what I meant when I started the thread. I'd very much like to hear about a person actually practicing the profession he envisioned as a kid... That's be quite a story I'm sure.

[Megadude]

Didn't have anything what I would call a dream when I was a kid, but I did have a few ideas of what I wanted to be.

When I was younger...

• Wanted to be a policeman - currently don't have the right (brave?) attitude to deal with the situations they sometimes have to deal with and I'm a bit timid and shy = no chance.
  
• Wanted to be a fireman - currently don't want or like to be put in any life threatening situation = no chance.
  
• Wanted to be a paramedic - currently don't like rel life blood and get a bit queasy when around injuries or discussing injuries = no chance.
  
• Wanted to be a superhero........enough said.

When we are all pure and innocent, we will have ideas of what we want to do in the future, but inevitably as we mature, those ideas will most likely change, so very few people will go for their childhood dream, unless its a dream that can be achieved during that person's childhood.

[no00dylan]

My childhood dream since Tomb Raider and Mario has always been to get in the industry. I don't care if it's minimum wage, and I'm the doughnut guy, I want in, I love games so much. In my opinion, you should go after your dream, but then again I'm going after mine and I'm currently un-employed. I'm going to keep trying though, and so should you. I've met good people and had a great time so far.

[Zipfinator]

My childhood dream since Tomb Raider and Mario has always been to get in the industry. I don't care if it's minimum wage, and I'm the doughnut guy, I want in, I love games so much. In my opinion, you should go after your dream, but then again I'm going after mine and I'm currently un-employed. I'm going to keep trying though, and so should you. I've met good people and had a great time so far.

You're 16/17... Of course you're unemployed. Damn it Dylan!

[Phott]

My childhood dream since Tomb Raider and Mario has always been to get in the industry. I don't care if it's minimum wage, and I'm the doughnut guy, I want in, I love games so much. In my opinion, you should go after your dream, but then again I'm going after mine and I'm currently un-employed. I'm going to keep trying though, and so should you. I've met good people and had a great time so far.

You're 16/17... Of course you're unemployed. Damn it Dylan!

I have a lot of friends here who are around my age (17) who are employed, just not in the game industry.

[Zipfinator]

My childhood dream since Tomb Raider and Mario has always been to get in the industry. I don't care if it's minimum wage, and I'm the doughnut guy, I want in, I love games so much. In my opinion, you should go after your dream, but then again I'm going after mine and I'm currently un-employed. I'm going to keep trying though, and so should you. I've met good people and had a great time so far.

You're 16/17... Of course you're unemployed. Damn it Dylan!

I have a lot of friends here who are around my age (17) who are employed, just not in the game industry.

Yeah but the way Dylan worded it it sounded like he meant he's been working on his dream job for a while and still hasn't been employed for it. I know Dylan has been looking for a job for the last few months now, I was just being a dick.

[Pwnd_Ja]

Yeah Rafeal, Sorry for the unrealistic point of view. I was speaking from what I would do too pursue my dream, because I fail at damn near everything I do, and basically, if there is even the slightest chance that I will succeed, I will give it a shot, even if it means coughing up some coin to get where I want to go. But yeah, if you want to get involved with a big company take a big role on a mod team and show off your skills! Probably a more secure way then taking your chances as an independent developer

[Jman]

I managed to get lucky as the engineering course I plan to take offers a game design course for engineers. Weird. So I'll be able to design and erect dispensers.

Leaves me with them opshuns at the end of uni.